Just a few months ago, Valve decided to crack down on adult-themed games on Steam, removing a hefty chunk of games with sexually explicit themes. The company eventually backtracked on that plan, saying that it would only ban games that were illegal or trolling. Now they’re letting explicit sex games on the digital storefront.
They’ve now allowed the first sexually explicit game on the store, by way of Negligee: Love Stories, and adult visual novel game that features nudity along with explicit sexual scenes.
“Negligee: Love Stories features four story-lines that frequently include dialogue of sexual themes, sexual interactions and nudity and through them illustrations featuring nudity, undressing and sexual interactions as well.The four stories include male and female sexual relations, female and female sexual relations, themes relating to pressured sexual relationships, themes relating to nymphomania, themes relating to adult sex workers, themes relating to abusive marriages and adultery.
Scenes within the game include illustrated and dialogue descriptions of male and female single partner sexual relationships, modelling, outdoor sexual activity, male and female multiple partner sexual activity and female and female single partner sexual relationships.”
You needn’t worry about games of this sort getting in front of eyeballs they’re not supposed to though. Developers are required to flag their games if they feature mature content, and they’ll be hidden behind a filter. That means users must specifically enable toggles for games featuring gratuitous violence and sex. If you try to view the game on Steam, the service will ask you multiple times if you’re okay with nudity, sex and other adult-only content.
And honestly? That’s fine. I think it’s a good move from Valve. There’s nothing wrong with sex or sexuality and people should be able to make and play games like this if that’s what they want to do. It’s curious that the gaming industry, in general, has been completely okay with wanton violence, but anything involving sex becomes morally questionable. I know it may seem hypocritical, because I’ve called out numerous games for the way they handle sex and sexuality – but it comes down to content and context. Games that feature rape, abuse, kidnapping and exploitation of women (and men!) might not directly hurt anyone, but they help normalise shitty attitudes to sex.
I’ve always championed people’s right to have this sort of content, but at the same time, I believe that that people have the right to criticise them. Criticism isn’t necessarily condemnation.
Anyway, if stuff like Negligee: Love Stories gets you hot under the collar, it’ll be available on Steam on September 15, for R146 or so.
Last Updated: September 12, 2018
Dutch Matrix
September 12, 2018 at 07:57
Well slap me willy I mean silly. A healthy take on the whole thing, Mr Geoff!
Personally I am not sure if I would play the game though. I have wasted far too much coin on games I end up never playing.
Admiral Chief
September 12, 2018 at 08:08
LOL that header
Original Heretic
September 12, 2018 at 09:07
But why lemons?!
I mean, in reality, I’ve only experienced sweetness. Hmmmm….
Admiral Chief
September 12, 2018 at 09:12
You need to sweat more, MORE PASSION MORE POWER MORE LOVE
Original Heretic
September 12, 2018 at 09:15
Still doesn’t explain the lemons!
Admiral Chief
September 12, 2018 at 09:17
Not all…fruits…are created equal
Original Heretic
September 12, 2018 at 09:21
I love fruit. I could play with fruit all day.
Admiral Chief
September 12, 2018 at 11:22
Indeed, I need fruit twice daily at least, because of my dietary requirements.
Original Heretic
September 12, 2018 at 11:25
Lord Chaos
September 12, 2018 at 09:12
Would you prefer melons?
Original Heretic
September 12, 2018 at 09:15
Hmmm…. dammit stop! I’m at work!
Admiral Chief
September 12, 2018 at 09:17
Schweet, saucy, nommy lemons
Original Heretic
September 12, 2018 at 09:21
You lost me at lemons. If I have to scrunch my face up when I’m…busy…then something ain’t right.
Admiral Chief
September 12, 2018 at 09:22
What about schweet saucy nommy melons?
Original Heretic
September 12, 2018 at 09:23
Still too much of a tang to them.
Admiral Chief
September 12, 2018 at 09:30
The green sweet ones? I quite like them. Good, size, taste, everything
Pariah
September 12, 2018 at 09:32
Spanspek-tacular.
Admiral Chief
September 12, 2018 at 09:44
This man knows
Lord Chaos
September 12, 2018 at 08:09
Good view. Adding sexuality to a game doesn’t make it a good game, yet for some reason is the only reason some games sell
G8crasha
September 12, 2018 at 08:18
Context. That’s the operative word! If sex and nudity is presented in context, perfect. If its simply for perversion – well enter the world of Hentai games! I.e. there was nudity in the Cyberpunk 2077 demo, but the context was that the person was being farmed for parts in a bathtub.
Lord Chaos
September 12, 2018 at 08:23
You got me excited, then you went dark…
For the Emperor!
September 12, 2018 at 08:41
I’ll ummmm give you a hands on review later 😛
Magoo
September 12, 2018 at 10:01
TEEEEEE HEEEEEE
Pariah
September 12, 2018 at 09:32
As long as it doesn’t litter the storefront – then I agree, have at it. Let people choose what content they want or don’t want. Choose being the operative word here, let me hide this shit please, Steam?
Admiral Chief
September 12, 2018 at 09:45
YES, I don’t want it on my store front. If I hide it, then STAY TF away
Geoffrey Tim
September 12, 2018 at 09:45
Yeah, it’s all hidden by default; opt-in sort of stuff
Admiral Chief
September 12, 2018 at 09:47
Opt in, nice. Gg
Magoo
September 12, 2018 at 09:58
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/39103582aa9c7451701afd3cdb0a9be58301697b8ba8828fb712a2a357d1a16c.gif
Gr8_Balls_o_Fire
September 12, 2018 at 10:21
They’ll have a problem when a game comes out that’s not contextually appropriate. Some form of level-headed curation is needed.
Admiral Chief
September 12, 2018 at 10:27
Indeed
Geoffrey Tim
September 12, 2018 at 10:36
for the most part, I don’t think that Valve needs to be the moral police. As long as players are acutely aware of what the games entail, and they’re completely opt in, then it’s between the developers and the consumers. If it’s a game like Rapelay though, yeah – I’m not sure that’s really okay.
Pariah
September 12, 2018 at 10:48
Yeah but speaking about the latter part of that – I’m not sure Rapelay is acceptable on any platform. Anywhere.
Gr8_Balls_o_Fire
September 12, 2018 at 11:49
Problem is, generally people aren’t level-headed. People need policing.
grgspunk
September 12, 2018 at 15:22
It’s people, not games, that need policing. I’d rather let Rapelay on Steam than let any of you assholes try to pick and choose what games are “appropriate” for the platform.
“Context” means nothing.
grgspunk
September 12, 2018 at 15:16
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. I call bullshit.
grgspunk
September 12, 2018 at 15:16
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. I call bullshit, especially considering you still accuse games with “certain kinds” of sexual content of “normalizing” shitty attitudes to sex.
In our current socio-political climate, criticism of sexuality in gaming always inevitably turns into condemnation. You fucktards can’t but help yourselves but doing it.